NT Configuration

First, it's always a good idea to update NT to the latest release. Also, you'd probably Some steps to do, which are borrowed, include:

Routing and Remote Access Service Update (Optional) - Increases Windows NT's ability to act as a router. You don't need these advanced features for standard dial-out connections.
Internet Explorer 5 - Updates several online connection and security components, additionally, resolves known Year 2000 issues in conjunction with Service Pack 6.
Outlook 2000 - Includes additional updates to system components.
Internet Explorer 5 "Favorites" Security Update
Java Virtual Machine - Build 3188
Windows Library Update 2.0 (No direct connection benefit.)
Service Pack 6 - Resolves known Year 2000 issues in conjunction with Internet Explorer 5.

Next, it helps to disable subsystems. Do this by renaming these files: OS2.exe, OS2SS.exe, and PSXSS.exe (to filename.bak, or whatever you prefer)

Performance

Disable paging of NT executive - disable kernel Reg Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\DisablePagingExecutive
Procedure: registry value from 0 to 1, (making sure it's not in hex but decimal); (you should have at least 128 megs of RAM to do this)

I/O Speed

Reg Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\IOPageLockLimit
Procedure: value in decimal from 0 to reflect desired size in KB (1024, etc), using 64 or 128 total physical memory (in MB), then recorded in KB (ex: a 128MB RAM system should use between 8192KB and 16384KB, as the decimal setting)

RAM                Entry     

32                 4096000

64                 8192000

128               16384000

256+              65536000

L2 cache size

Reg Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\SecondLevelDataCache
Procedure: enter processor's L2 size

Disk Cache

Reg Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\LargeSystemCache
Procedure: enter from 0 (def) to 1 (you should have at least 96 megs of RAM to do this)

clear swapfile at shutdown

Reg Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown
Procedure: Set to 1 to clear at shutdown.

run Explorer in sep memory

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Procedure: Add DesktopProcess (REG_DWORD). Set it to 1 and reboot.

NTFS Last Access Date

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
Procedure: Add Value name NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate of type REG_DWORD. Set it to 1 to prevent the LastAccess time stamp from being updated.

shut down apps faster

Reg Key: HKEY_USER\YourUserId\Control Panel\Desktop
Procedure:

Add AutoEndTasks - "1" kills not responding (Reg_SZ)

WaitToKillAppTimeout - This specifies how long NT waits before killing an app.The default is 20000 milliseconds (20 seconds), but you can reduce this to five seconds (5000 milliseconds).

Also, you can do this for DEFAULT so all new users get it

shut down services faster

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
Procedure: Modify WaitToKillServiceTimeout to 10,000 milliseconds (10 seconds)

disable extra services

Reg Key: None
Procedure: In Control Panel, Services, disable Computer Browser and Network services. You can also turn off the Messenger and Server services. Disable RAS services and AutoDial Manager if you're not connecting to an ISP or using RAS.

relocate NT logs

Reg Key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Application
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Security
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\System
Procedure: Change the keys at the locations, preferably to a faster partition or drive

Increase IP speed

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/TCPIP/Parameters
Procedure: Add "TcpMaxDupAcks" REG_DWORD and set number of ACKs (acknowledgements) you want. The range is 1 to 3, and the default is 2 (recommended)

Improving Serial Performance

Reg Key: KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Serial
Procedure: ForceFifoEnable : Change from 0 to 1 ( decimal )
RxFIFO : Default is 8 and the Maximum is 14 ( decimal ). If you do not have a fast processor, Limit this number to 12.
TxFIFO : Default value is 1 and the Maximum is 16 ( decimal ), 16 works well on a dual processor or a fast uni-processor system.

Disable TCP/IP Source Routing

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
Procedure: Normally, on a computer running Windows NT 4.0, you cannot disable the source routing feature for the TCP/IP protocol. By using this tweak it is possible to disable it.reate a new DWORD value named 'DisableIPSourceRouting' and set the value to either '1' to disable source routing, or '0' to enable source routing.

Reboot Immediately

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Procedure: Control-Alt-Delete+SHIFT after adding EnableQuickReboot and set to "1"

Compress Registry

Reg Key: None
Procedure: As Registry entries are added and deleted, the Registry may get bloated and need to be cleaned up. Run RDISK /S to compact the Registry.

Cut down on file cache

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
Procedure: Add a Reg_DWORD Value name of MaximumTunnelEntryAgeInSeconds. Set it to the desired number of seconds, from 1 to 30, and 0 if you never use 16-bit apps.

disable short-name generation

Reg Key: SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem\NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation
Procedure: DWORD value of 1 disabling short name generation on an NTFS partition will greatly increase directory enumeration performance especially in the case where individual directories contain a large number of files/directories with non-8.3 filenames.

Plug and play

Reg Key:
Procedure:right-click on the PNPISA.INF file in the DRVLIB\PNPISA folder, and then INSTALL

Reg Key:
Procedure:

swap file - size, location

Reg Key: None
Procedure: 2 megs on system root, min = RAM and max = 2xRAM place on an NTFS partition

Autocomplete in CMD

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
Procedure: Change the value of "CompletionChar" to 9

Change print spooler dir

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\[PrinterName]\SpoolDirectory
Procedure: set to local path

Security

prevent login screen saver

Reg Key: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop
Procedure: ScreenSaveActive (0 = disabled, 1 =enabled)

Disable Registry Editing Tools

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
Procedure: DisableRegistryTools (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

Disable Registry Editing Tools (via network)

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurePipeServers\winreg
Procedure: Add key if not present

Disable the Lock Workstation Button

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
Procedure: DisableLockWorkstation (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

require alpha numeric password

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Network
Procedure: AlphanumPwds (0 = disabled, 1=enabled)

Remove common program groups from Start menu

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Procedure: NoCommonGroups (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

power down computer after shutdown

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Procedure: PowerdownAfterShutdown (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

stealth login

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Procedure: change the REG_SZ value DontDisplayLastUserName to 0.

welcome notice

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
Procedure: change the LegalNoticeCaption subkey to a text string that you like

change name of admin

Reg Key: None
Procedure: Make it something not guessable using User Manager

disabling "shutdown"

Reg Key:
Procedure: select Edit/Find and search Values for ShutdownW and when ShutdownWithoutLogon appears, change to 0

Appearance and Desktop

Save your desktop icons (1)

Reg Key: None
Procedure: F5

Control panel from Run

Reg Key: None
Procedure: Start, Run and MODEM.CPL (for example)

System Properties shortcut

Reg Key: None
Procedure: shortcut with CONTROL.EXE SYSDM.CPL,System,2

Default all unknown apps to Notepad

Reg Key:
Procedure: create an "open" subkey, set its default for some description ("Open with Notepad" here), then create a subkey in it called "command", its default value being "notepad.exe %1", all values without brackets obviously.)

numlock always on

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard
Procedure: double-click on the InitialKeyboardIndicators string and change its value from 0 to 2

Icons don’t move?

Reg Key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\Interface\{0000010E-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\NumMethods
Procedure: set to 12?
or
Reg Key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\Interface\{0000010E-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProxyStubClsid
Procedure: set to {0000030C-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
or
Reg Key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\Interface\{0000010E-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProxyStubClsid32
Procedure: set to {00000320-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}

Saving Desktop Settings

Reg Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Procedure: NoSaveSettings (DWORD) - value of 1

Dialup on start menu

Reg Key: None
Procedure: name new folder Dial Up Net.{992CffA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48}

Control Panel on start menu

Reg Key: None
Procedure: name new folder Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}

Re-enabling DHCP messages

Reg Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ VxD \DHCP
Procedure: Change the value of PopupFlag from 00 to 01

Reg Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\LargeSystemCache
Procedure: enter from 0 (def) to 1 (you should have at least 96 megs of RAM to do this)

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any problems you may encounter when following these recommendations. I use all of the above recommendations with outstanding success. This page assumes your system is completely free of existing issues and that none of the above settings have been previously altered. This page is designed for single user systems with simple dial-out internet connection needs. If your needs are beyond this, I recommend contacting a consultant or your system administrator. Finally, packet loss is packet loss...you can have the best ping/connection in the world and still experience packet loss, contact your ISP.